Fountain of Youth
by animefan021513
Summary: A case about people mysteriously getting younger leads the boys and their fallen angel ten miles away from the bunker. They track down who and what it is, but what happens when it's two different creatures working together, and what happens when Cas is drenched from a Fountain of Youth and made considerably younger with no memories of Sam or Dean? Read and Find out!
1. Chapter 1

At the bunker things were getting pretty quiet. I'm sitting at the war table drinking beer and looking for a case that we could get a move on towards because we haven't had anything pop up in a week. Sammy was reading his endless amount of books, and at this point I'm fairly certain he's considering making a throne of books. Then, there was Cas. Him being human, and not getting used to it was a bit of a big deal. I feel sorry for him, and I could hear him all the way in the kitchen. So, I get up, close the laptop, leave my beer, and walk away to see what's going on.

As I walk into the kitchen I'm shocked to see almost all of our food spread across the counters and Cas is standing, looking at all of it with a puzzled look on his face. "Cas, you okay?"

"No...I'm not. My stomach is growling, I smell awful, my hair is unruly, and my wings are..." There's a small choked sound coming from his voice and I can tell that he can't finish the sentence. I can also tell what it was going to be.

"I'm sorry man..."

"It's all my fault..." He pouted out as he lay his palms flat on the counter.

"Now don't you go saying that. Meta-dick tricked you! He used you. Did you ask for this?"

He looks at me with an offended look and growls out a harsh, "No!"

"Well then...It's not your fault. So, what are you hungry for?"

"I don't know...I've been human before but..."

"Not to this extent...I get it...I mean well...I think I can understand how difficult that might be. How about we start off with a sandwich?"

"That sounds...good."

"Great! I'm gonna need you to put up everything but the bread, lettuce, tomatoes, turkey, cheese, mustard, and mayonnaise." I watched as he put everything away and I waited until he was done. Once he was finished I give him a smile and grab a nearby knife. "Now...I don't know which one you like...so I'm gonna make us both two sandwiches. One with mayonnaise and one with mustard. Whichever one you don't like, I'll eat the rest of it and you can have my other one. Sound fair?"

"Yes, that sounds fair."

I go to making our sandwiches and they're the same. Mayonnaise or mustard, cheese, tomato, lettuce, and then turkey. I hand him his plate and he takes a small bite out of the mayonnaise sandwich, and soon as he does, his face twists into a disgusted expression. Then, he bites into the one with mustard and for some reason he seems joyful at the taste. "Okay...so, two mustard sandwiches for you..." I say as I give him mine with mustard. "...and two mayonnaise sandwiches for me." I take his and we sit there quietly eating our sandwiches.

Once we were both done, I hear Cas clatter his plate back onto the counter. I look up and I can see on his face that he's at least a little content now. "Thank you, Dean."

"No problem, Cas. You know I'd look out for you. Now, I assume you know how to figure out the shower."

"Yes. I did figure out that much at least. However..."

"What is it, Cas?"

"Well...I can never get my hair in order. It's much like my wings were...I wasn't very good at grooming them. My feathers would often get ruffled for no reason."

"Alright so what...you want me to brush your hair when you're done with your shower?"

"If you don't mind. I can't stand it the way it is."

"Alright, sure." I pick up both of our plates and toss them into the sink.

"You really don't mind?"

"No, it's kind of like when I had to help out Sam with his Rapunzel hair."

"Who is Rapunzel?"

"What? You know what...we're not even gonna touch that one right now. Let's just go." I let him lead the way to the bathroom when we both bumped into Sam just as we were about to be at the door. "Hey, Sammy."

"Hey...? What are you doing following Cas into the bathroom?"

"I'm just gonna make sure everything's in there first, then I'll be out of the bathroom while he showers. Cool your jets, Sam."

"Well, that's good. I thought you were trying to join him." I punch his shoulder and he lets out a loud laugh. "Relax! You know I was kidding. I know you better than that."

"Yeah, I knew you were kidding, but I guess somehow my arm just couldn't resist."

"Jerk."

"Bitch!"

"Assbutt?" Cas said looking at the both of us. "What? You both give each other your own insults I thought I might jump in." We both start laughing and I place a hand on his right shoulder.

"That was perfect, Cas! Yeah, that's okay." Sam chuckled and walked away as I'm coming down from my laughter. After I finally calm down from laughing, I walk into the bathroom after Cas and I make sure all the necessary equipment is here. "Alright, we got a brush, a comb, a hair drier, and you've got plenty of towels. I'd say we're pretty set.

True to my word, I stand outside of the bathroom door, and after about fifteen minutes I hear a knock on the other end. "You can come in now, Dean." I turn around and turn the door knob to open the door, but once it opens I am quickly made aware that Cas apparently didn't know he was supposed to wrap the towel around his waist.

"Cas!" I shout as I quickly close the door.

"What is it?" He asks me from the other side.

"Put a towel around your waist."

"How do I keep it around my waist?"

"You're going to wrap it as tightly as you can, and then your going to take the extra bit of towel you have and tuck it into the top." I hear shuffling on the other end and then the door opens again. I look to see how well he wrapped the towel and also notice that apparently Jimmy worked out. "Alright, at least you tightened it tight enough. It shouldn't fall."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now, first off...you didn't even dry off your hair, so we're going to start with that." I grab another towel and I start drying off his hair when I hear a strange noise I had never heard before. I move the towel just enough to where I can see his face and I see him smiling. "Was that you...giggling?"

"I believe so. It tickles, I apologize."

"It...tickles?"

"Yes...I am sorry. I will try to control myself."

"Hey, no issues here. I just never heard you laugh let alone giggle." I return to drying his hair, and thankfully this time he really did try to control his laughter, because it made it easier to dry his hair.

Once I was finished I take the towel and put it down and I grab the brush behind me. I start brushing through his hair and I realize that it is much less difficult to brush his hair than Sam's. As I brush through his hair, I finally find a pattern his hair was going in, and I brush it into the wavy pattern. After it was finally brushed I put the brush down and I finish it with the comb going through it. "Are we done now?" He asked as he started patting his own hair.

"Yeah, come look in the mirror."

"You mean the foggy mirror?" He questioned and I drop my jaw slightly because that's clear sarcasm coming out of his mouth.

"Yeah...I mean no! Here...just...wait...where are your clothes?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the clothes you change into after a shower?"

"I don't have any...I just change back into the outfit I was in. I clean it often now."

"No...just no...wait here. I'll go get you some of my clothes."

I left the room briefly and was once again met with Sam in the hallway. "Dude...what now!?" Sam asked clearly pissed off.

"I'm going to get Cas some clothes, he doesn't have any but that trench coat and layers of clothes...what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing...just restless I suppose."

"Yeah I get the feeling."

"Wait, your clothes?"

"Yes. He won't fit in yours. You're a giant." I walked passed him and made it to my room and looked in my dresser. I found a pair of black jeans, a pacakge of underwear I hadn't opened yet, and an ACDC shirt along with some socks he can wear when he wasn't wearing his shoes. He had told me once how he didn't like the feeling of the cold floor so the socks I found should be fine. After I grabbed them I walked back into the bathroom and there he stood, practically shivering from the cold. "Sorry...here. Put these on and then come into the war room so I can see if everything fits okay."

"Thank you, Dean."

I nodded my head and walked into the war room and noticed Sam was back diving back into his books again. "So what did you give him?" He asked me as I sat at the table in my favorite spot.

"I gave him some some jeans, socks, boxers, and a shirt. Why?"

"Nothing, just curious. Wait...you gave him your boxers!?"

I couldn't help the laugh that left me, because his eyes instantly spoke what was in his head. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Sammy. It was an unopened package of boxers. I'll just go out and buy new ones."

At my words, I heard footsteps coming closer and knew it was going to be Cas. What I wasn't expecting was how he was going to look in the outfit I put together. "Is this acceptable, Dean?"

"Yes, Dean..." Sammy grinned mischievously as he also noticed how Cas looked. "Is that acceptable?"

"Shut it Sammy."

"Just kidding."

"I know, and it needs to stop. You know better."

"Yeah, yeah. I know better. Sorry." He chuckled and still waited for me to respond to Cas' question.

"I can't believe you're the same Cas that was wearing layers and layers of clothes."

"What do you mean? I'm still me, are you well Dean? Have I done something to make you unsure it's me?"

"No..." I chuckled lightly. "What I mean is that you look different comparatively. The layers of clothes made you look like a thin person wearing lots of clothes, but this outfit proves that wrong. Did Jimmy work out or something?"

"Yes, I believe he did. He went to the gym when he had time. He ate healthy, and he ran marathons sometimes."

"That explains it." Sam sighed out as he leaned back into his chair.

"Interesting. So...you wouldn't happen to know of any cases nearby would you? I've had no luck."

"Well, yes actually. I apologize I should've told you earlier. There is a case ten miles from here. Apparently there have been people getting younger with no explanation."

"Well...I suppose we're off to find the fountain of youth then." I joked and we went our separate ways briefly and started packing.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two days since we had interviewed the 'victims' and so far all we had to go on was that they were all at the park when it happened. "So Sammy..." I started. "What's at the nearby park?"

"I don't know. Mrs. Seymore says that her and her husband were out jogging when suddenly they both felt funny. Then, ten minutes later they both go from mid-forties to early twenties. Same thing with Mr. Brent, Miss Layla, and Mr. Gambit. All above thirty and they were all at the park."

"Right...let's see...Mr. Brent was thirty five and transformed into an eighteen year old. Miss Layla was fifty and she de-aged all the way back to twenty five. Mr Gambit...he's the same age as Miss Layla, but he only de-aged to thirty-three. There doesn't seem to be a pattern. Something seems off." I looked through the notes and no one said anything they were doing in particular...I didn't write it down, but perhaps Sam would remember. "Hey, Sammy...what were all these people doing at the park?"

"Well...we know that Mrs. Seymore was jogging with her husband...Mr. Brent was out walking his dog, Miss Layla was there with her grandchildren and they convinced her to stop at the taco stand, and Mr. Gambit was just there to feed the ducks."

"Taco stand?" I asked, wondering what a taco stand would have to do with it and then I remembered that all the tacos had hot sauce on them.

"Seriously Dean...that's all you got out of..."

"TACO STAND!" I shouted as I leapt up from my chair.

"Dean, I get it...you're hungry but..."

"No...you _don't_ get it. Alright...a woman as old as Miss Layla...she may not be able to handle spicey well so what would she need to do if her taco was too spicey for her?"

"She would need water!"

"Exactly! And Mrs. Seymore and her husband were out jogging, they would need to stop for a drink too. Then there's. Mr. Brent...he was out walking his dog...what if he stopped for a drink? Finally, there's Mr. Gambit who was the same age as Miss Layla but..."

"But he wasn't doing anything but feeding the ducks so he wouldn't have gotten that thirsty but it was hot so..."

"We're looking for an actual..." I started with so much excitement I almost couldn't handle it.

"...Fountain of Youth!" He thankfully finished.

"Cas!" I shout at the bathroom door.

"Yes, Dean?" I heard him shout back as the shower was still going.

I cracked open the bathroom door just enough to where I could poke my head in and tell him what we found out. I figured it would be a bad idea to shout it and our next door neighbors hear it. "You won't believe it, but we found out what is the cause of all of it."

"Oh, and what would that be?" I heard the water squeak off and I turned my head so I wouldn't see him.

"It's a fountain of youth!"

"Surely you're joking."

"Nope! No jokes, no double meanings, no sarcasm. An actual fountain of youth! All of the _vics_ had to have stopped for a drink at some point and that's what made them younger. It also may be the duration of them drinking."

I heard him scramble to get clothes on and once he came out he was wearing a Dark blue T-shirt with a light blue flannel shirt that he left open, over it. He was also wearing dark blue jeans and he already had his black tennis shoes on that we bought him yesterday along with the black socks I gave him. "If there's a fountain of youth we need to destroy it immediately! We also need to find out who or what turned it into a fountain of youth."

"Destroy it? And are you saying that something causes this?"

"Yes and yes. If this thing had always been a fountain of youth, it wouldn't have been in the papers just a few days ago. It seems highly likely that a witch is involved."

"We searched for Hex bags and everything else...nothing was anywhere in the park."

"Did you check inside all of the fountains?"

Both Sam and I shook our heads. "So, we go back at two in the morning and look. That way we know no one is gonna show up." I stated and received a nod from Cas.

"Dean and I will go check. Sam, we'll need you to stay here in case the witch catches wind of us knowing and we need help. It would be pointless if we all needed help."

"I understand."

 ** _oOoOoOoOoOoOoOo_**

Two in the morning rolled around and at this point Cas and I had about two fountains left. The one in front of us, and the other was on the other side of the pond. "So...Cas, I gotta ask you. Why do we need to destroy this immediately? I mean, it sounds like it's doing a lot of good."

"It sounds like it, sure, but Dean...eternal youth was never meant for humans. Not even angels have eternal youth. The way humans grow wrinkles is the same way we grow our feathers. Some get longer, they droop lower, they become harder to manage...but we don't stay young. It really isn't meant for any one. Now, imagine...what do you think would happen in a hundred or two hundred years for now if word about this fountain got out. What do you think may happen?"

"People will be swarming for it." I stated with a realization that left me feeling like an idiot.

"Exactly, and then no one would die, and then the earth will be over populated creating a whole new slew of problems."

"So...how exactly do we destroy the fountain of youth?"

"We find whatever is causing it to become a fountain of youth, burn it, and evaporate all of the water we can underneath the fountain."

"Right...simple and easy as always."

"Is that...is that sarcasm."

"Yes, yes it was."

I pried open the fountain and I didn't see anything around the pipes or any sign that anything was shoved into them, so I closed it and gave out a frustrated sigh. "One more, Dean."

"Yeah...one more, and if it doesn't have a hex bag, then we need a new plan."

"It should be there. This is extremely old magic, at least a century or two old, and it was used to make them younger and to never age."

"Like Rowena?"

"Yes, like Rowena. However, that is slightly different."

"Hmm..."

"What is it, Dean?"

I started walking towards the only fountain left to check and I could see from across the way that someone was sitting on a bench. "I think someone is waiting for us." I pointed with the crowbar at the figure wearing a dark hoodie and sweat pants.

"Well, let's not disappoint them." I chuckled and we made our way to the person on the bench.

Once we made it to the person that was waiting for us, they turned there head and shrugged their shoulders. "I take it you're looking for me?"

"Well, not exactly you, but the magic reversal prune juice you created."

"Uh huh..." She gets up and walks to the fountain and I get my gun ready. "Oh, you poor little boy. I'm just the deliverer. So, those witch killing bullets will do nothing to me. I'm not even human." Without another word she busted the fountain and I dove as far out of the as I could get and thankfully I wasn't sprayed, but Cas was and it was still rushing at him fully blast. I looked up and she wasn't there.

"DAMMIT!" I shouted as I ran to Cas and took him away from the water. "Cas?" I slapped his face lightly and he blinked his eyes open as well as coughing out some water. "You okay, Cas?"

"M-My name isn't Cas..." He stood up frantically and looked at me seemingly confused, and then, all too soon I noticed he started shrinking. I couldn't do anything but watch as Cas turned into what seemed to be a five year old in baggy clothes, ruffled black hair, and the bluest eyes that I had ever seen. Adult Cas' eyes weren't as blue as Young Cas' eyes were at the moment. "My name is Castiel. I...I don't think..." He started looking frantically around and suddenly his facial expression was a mixture of fear and delight. "I-Is this Earth?"

I crouched down in front of him and made sure to holster my gun. "Uh...yeah...it is. Cas...tiel...Castiel...how old are you?"

"How old?"

"Right...um...in human years how old do you think you are?"

"Umm...in human years...I think maybe...five hundred and twenty-four years old. I'm the youngest." He looked around for a brief moment and a puzzled expression appeared and then he looked back at me. "This doesn't look like the earth my big brother showed me a hundred years ago..."

"Well...I gotta tell you something..." I cleared my throat and he tilted his head at me, which told me it wasn't just a vessel thing. It was all Cas. I chuckled lightly and shook my head. "My name is Dean Winchester. You pulled me out of Hell a few years back..."

"Hell!? I-I don't think so!"

I furrowed my brows and tilted my head this time. "Why not?" I wondered.

"Hell is scary! And only the most elite and bravest angels go down there for missions. It also has to be super important for all mankind."

"Well...if you had to...why would _you_ go to Hell?"

"I...If it was someone I cared about...or if it was someone I just met like you...I..."

"Yes?"

"Your soul...it is broken and hurt...you've known a lot of pain...but your soul is also...it's so so strong and pure and honest. You are a kind human who can be selfish when he wants, but wouldn't hesitate to help others. You're a good human. Your soul is warm, comforting, and bright. I don't know why...but it feels like...home. Not heaven...but like a place I belong. I think...if it were for you...I wouldn't think twice."

I could feel myself practically shaking at everything he said and it was a de-aged Cas saying all of those things to me. "W-Why wouldn't you think twice."

He gave a soft sympathetic smile that does not belong on a five year old and he laughed so lightly I almost thought wind chimes had been blowing somewhere nearby. "You don't belong there." He stepped closer and put a hand on both sides of my face and made me look him in the eyes, and that's when I realized that I had looked to the ground. Then, his smile widened. "You are a good man. I see no reason why anyone like you would be down there."

"I...I um...I made a deal with a demon in exchange for my brother."

"Even though it is extremely bad to sell one's soul...that is a very good reason to sell your soul. You are kind, and anyone would be lucky to call you brother. Hey..." He let go of my face and I felt tears run down my face. I quickly wiped them away and he just stood there patiently. "Can we go somewhere warm?"

"Um...you're an angel...you've never gotten cold before..."

He laughed at me and held his stomach to keep himself from falling over. "That's the most ridiculous thing I've heard!"

"What...that you're an angel?"

"No...although...I'm not an angel yet. I'm still a fledgling. In human terms I'm a baby. I get cold all the time, and I have to groom my wings regularly or they won't grow as large as they should, or in a way they should. I also have to stay fed, and I can get wounded easily. When I become a full fledged angel I won't need that. I won't need warmth, food, and I won't be able to be wounded by anything but an angel blade which I don't have ye..." He looked to his clothes and noticed there was something shiny coming put from one of the sleeves. "...Was that my...coat?" He walks over to the coat and holds the angel blade in his hands. He then looks at my clothes, then his, then mine, and back to his. "I...Dean Winchester...was I...am I..."

"You were an adult angel. You pulled me put of hell. You took a vessel named Jimmy and he gave you control of it when he died...so this is all you now...We're like brothers. We came here for to stop a witch but she hit you with some kind of fountain of youth thing...and..."

"And I became younger than you know me...that would explain why this doesn't look at all like the earth I had seen a hundred years ago. How old am I really?"

"Actually...I don't know...All I know is that your over a thousand years old maybe older than that. The year...the year is two thousand and thirteen..."

"I am way older than a thousand years!" His eyes went wide and his face was one of shock. "Wow...so...I'm really _not_ this age am I...?"

"No...buddy...You see...my brother and I call you Cas...it's short for Castiel...are you alright?" I asked as I noticed he was shaking.

"I'm cold...hungry...and afraid. I don't know anything...aside from what you told me..."

"Right...let's go home."

"Home?"

"Yeah...you live with my brother and I in an old men of letters bunker...I'll um...explain more of that later..."

He grabbed my hand and I held his tightly as I could feel his hand. It was like ice.

Once I got him in the car I took my jacket off and wrapped it around him as he sat next to me. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Now...I need you to stay low. There are people called cops, and they won't like it if you're in the front seat...but this is the closest to the heat you can get right now."

"Okay." He laid down and placed his head on my right leg and all I could do was grin a little, and before I knew it, he was snoring.

I dug my phone out of my pocket and called Sam. _"Hey Dean. Did you take care of the problem?"_

"No...I didn't...Now...we may have a bigger problem."

 _"Why are you whispering?"_

"Well...apparently that fountain of youth works on angels...and now...I have a sleeping...fledgling on my lap. I'm heading back now."

 _"Y-You have a W-What!?"_ I hung up and continued to drive as Cas slept.


	3. Chapter 3

Once I pulled into the garage I noticed that Cas was still asleep. So, I got out of my door and picked him up. As I held him in my arms, I realized just how light he was. It was much lighter than a five year old should be.

I walk into my room and I place Cas under my covers, and for a little bit I wondered why I didn't just put him in his bed, but then I remember that my room is closer anyway. When I turn around after I felt satisfied that he was warm and comfortably I saw Sam at the door stare wide eyed and in disbelief with what he witnessed. I waved my hand to signal for him to move back and thankfully he did and I closed the door behind me.

We walked into the war room and I sat in a chair while Sam paced back and forth. "So...What happened?" He asked me and truthfully I didn't know what to say. He stopped pacing after he realized I didn't answer and he sat in front of me. "Dean...what..."

At that, I couldn't control what came out of my mouth and I didn't know how to form the explanation. "I don't know." I interrupted. "The...whatever it was...because it wasn't a witch...she busted the fountain open, and it sprayed all over Cas and now...instead of...whatever age he is...he's now five hundred and twenty four years old. He's no where close to being a full fledged angel...he says in human terms he's a baby...and it sounds like he has to be treated like one too and..."

"Woah! Dean...slow down! What?"

"He's a kid...a baby...a baby angel..."

He stood up and started raising his voice at me. "Yeah I got that! What happened? Why weren't you covering for him you know that He's...!"

Suddenly, right before my eyes, Sam is launched about seven feet away to the left. "Stop yelling at him! Stay away from him!" I look to my right and there's Cas still wearing the baggy white shirt and my jacket. His eyes aren't glowing like they normally would if he used his powers, but there is definitely power there. Sam scrambled up and only managed to get on his knees to try and defend himself, but was cut off by his air being sucked out of his lungs. "You will not speak!"

"Castiel!" I shouted, and even I had to admit it sounded like a father scolding his child, but it seemed to work because Sam was able to breathe and Cas was looking up at me with confused eyes.

"Wha...?"

"That's my brother!" I shouted and Cas shrank a little, and then a look of realization and horror washed over his face. I calmed down and I walked toward him as calmly as I could.

I picked him up and placed him in one of the chairs, and had him sitting next to me. "I...I'm sorry Dean Winchester..."

"You can just call me Dean...and that's Sam. Now...do you want to tell me what woke you up?"

"I heard the door close. I left the room to look for you. I followed your voice...then I saw him yelling at you..."

"S-Sorry about that..." Sam breathed out. "Cas...just how powerful are you?"

"I...don't understand..." He looked at me, and seemed to wait for me to have an answer but I honestly had the same question.

"I think what he means is...you're very powerful...it's not what we expected from someone as small as you. So...what all can you do?"

"Oh!" He chirped in delight and I found myself chuckling a little at the look of joy that appeared on his face. "Well...I can knock someone back, I can affect some human organs...although I just figured out I can do those...but I do know that I can fly even though most of the other fledglings don't do that until around seven hundred years old, And I'm really good at healing!"

"Heh...you seem very proud of that last one." I smiled and I noticed that Sam's face kept a shocked expression.

"Oh, I am! I know it's bad to be prideful...but I learned how to heal all on my own!"

"H-How did you learn how to do that?"

"Well...the other fledglings...and some of the angels...they said I was different. They said I was strange. So, in order to make me like them...they..."

"They hurt you?"

"Yeah...but Brother Gabriel got them all punished!" He said with a wide grin. "Brother Gabriel told father about what they did. I didn't like it when they apologzied but he made them sit in the cells for a human day."

"Cell?" Sammy asked.

"Yeah...prison. I was told I am never allowed in there...even when I am a full fledged angel...but he only put the angels there...the fledglings got scolded by Brother Michael. He's scary."

"Yeah...I bet. So...how did you learn healing again?"

"Well, I remember watching Brother Gabriel heal another angel who got injured on a mission and then he healed other angels after that...So...I tried to repeat it on myself and it worked. I did it after every time they hurt me...they stopped hurting me about two hundred human years ago."

"How did they hurt you?" I asked.

"They would scratch and hit me...but it's okay now."

"Okay...and why did you attack me?" Sam asked.

"Dean is my friend. You were being mean. Your soul...it's hurt and broken too...but it's been...oh...what's the word..." He asked himself as he bounced up and down in the chair in frustration.

"Tainted?" Sam asked with a wince.

"Well...yes, but no...It's not that tainted. Your soul is..."

"Fury, frustrated, warped, or.." I was mainly joking but it seemed one of the words I said was the right one, because his eyes went wide.

"Warped. It's been twisted and molded into something that doesn't...it doesn't fit you. Your soul...I can tell your soul would've been like Dean's but slightly different and not as bright...not like this."

"A bad demon made him drink demon blood." I heard my own voice and it sounded like I was telling a bed time story.

"Oh...that would explain it. Is that why I pulled you out of hell Dean?"

"No...well...I'm sure it was one of the reasons. However...I...what have the angels told you about the righteous man?"

Cas crossed his legs and seemed to actually need to recall the story and then his face lit up with shock and wonder. It was a look I would've had if I got to see Metallica in person. "Y-Your the righteous man!" It wasn't a question, and he seemed excited to know that I was the righteous man.

"Yeah...and you rescued me from hell. I didn't want to leave...I believed I belonged there...I had tortured souls...I broke, Cas...and you still thought I was worth putting back together."

"Chick flick moment?" Sam questioned with a smug look.

"No, Sammy. Now...Cas..." I looked back to Cas and he had the most horrified look on his face. "Cas?"

"Y-You broke?"

"Yeah...and you rescued me. You..." I laughed as I remembered his words from our first face to face meeting. "Your the one who gripped me tight and raised me from perdition."

" _I_ rescued _YOU?"_

"Yes, and we are best friends...now...we unfortunately have problems to solve right now. The person from before..."

"Angel...she's not a person. Although...her wings...she must've been bad. Worse than Brother Lucifer."

"Why do you say that?"

"Her wings were ripped apart." He looked left and right seemingly at his own wings and he giggled as we winced, worried at what he would say about his wings.

"Cas...?" I questioned.

"Yes?" He replied looking at me at this point.

"What were you looking at?" Sam asked.

"My wings. They're still there."

"They're what!?" We both asked together and Cas simply repeated himself and smiled, leaving Sam and I a little more than bewildered and confused.

"We're best friends and I haven't shown you my wings?" He asked as he looked at me with a skeptical look that didn't fit a five year old but an adult Cas.

"Well...you did actually..."

"He what?" Sam asked.

"He showed me his wings when we first met...but I was only allowed to see the shadows...why...I never found out.

"Wow! If I was only able to show you shadows I must be very powerful!"

"What do you mean?"

"Well...Lower ranked angels can show their wings but they can only show them to special people...perhaps people who can't hear their voice...but they can see. I can tell that you would be able to see...not just shadows but my real wings. They're really soft and they keep me warm most days."

"Y-You'll have to show me some time...now about the angel...what do you think an angel would be doing with a witch who can create a fountain of youth. She's been making a lot of humans younger."

"Well...probably to heal her wings. it can give what has been taken from someone's body. If the witch promised to heal her wings in exchange for what's happening to the humans...she may be waiting for a stronger one as payment."

"So...why hit you then?"

"I think she meant to hit you. I don't think she knows that the version she wanted could actually be in the fountain that she destroyed. Wait..."

"What is it?"

"You...both of you...the two of you seemed...you two were surprised when I looked at my...did...did my wings come off too!?"

"Y-Yes...they did...but...if they're back now, they might be there when we get you to normal."

"To normal...to normal? This _is_ my normal and you...my wings...home...here...you...how...?" He started hyperventilating and I slowly placed my hands on his shoulders.

"A bad angel...a _real_ bad angel...he tricked you to cast a spell and he made the angels fall...all except him. Right now...he's trying to play God...and he used your grace for the last ingredient of the spell...the grace of a fallen angel." I explained and at the last sentence I heard my voice crack slightly.

"I...I fell?"

"Yeah..."

"You...you rebelled." Sam explained, and another look of horror crossed his face and he went incredibly pale. "You rebelled and you did it for Dean. Not even for the both of us...you rebelled, you fought your siblings, you've...gone to battle with him...and you did all of it for him."

"I...I r-rebelled."

"Yeah...I'm sorry Cas." I looked down and suddenly my hands were incredibly interesting.

"D-Don't be sorry. I...If adult angel me was willing to do that...then you must've been more than worth it."

"I'll have to ask the older you when we fix this mess with you. Do you have any idea where she might've gone?"

"Well...she's not very smart...otherwise she wouldn't be in a sleeping place near the park."

"Sleeping place?" I asked.

"Yeah...lots of humans were sleeping. There was one couple that seemed to be in the process of making another human."

"Motel...right...got it!" I said with laughter in between my words. Then I realized that earlier Cas said he was hungry and he can't go around wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he was an adult. "Sam...I need you to go out to whatever store is open and get some clothes for Cas...you're better at than me. I'm gonna make him some early breakfast."

"Okay...keys?" I tossed him the keys and he left the bunker.


	4. Chapter 4

Cas was sitting patiently at one of the tables in the kitchen and I had finally finished making french toast and eggs. I put the plate down in front of him and I couldn't help the grin on my face when I saw how he was trying to analyze the food. "Cas...it's all edible I promise."

"I believe you...but...it doesn't seem..."

"I know it doesn't seem healthy." I groaned out, but I couldn't hide the smile on my face. _'Same old Cas.'_

"Truly?"

"Truly what?"

"Am I truly like the Cas you know?" He asked as he drank the orange juice I gave him.

"You can read minds? I mean...older you could...but I didn't think you cpuld at such a young age."

"Yes, I can read thoughts and souls. It used to get on Brother Gabriel's nerves when we would play games together." He used his fork and took a bite of eggs as if he was afraid they would jump off the fork. Once the fork made it in his mouth his nervousness went away and he beamed at me with an appreciative smile. "These are good!"

"I'm glad you like them." I sat across from him at the table and ate my own food and drank my coffee. "Hey..." I started when a question came forward in my mind. "Your relationship with...Brother Gabriel...why were the two of you so close...how did the two of you get so close? I thought Archangels wouldn't have time for...fledglings."

"And you would be right." he answered as he took another bite of his eggs. "Not even Brother Gabriel had time for fledglings...but I was different."

"Yeah...how?"

"Oh, I was just like Brother Gabriel when he was a fledgling, and like I told you...he protected me. There were other reasons but..."

"That all may be true...but I mean...even after all that...why would an archangel spend his time with a fledgling...even if you are just like him, which you aren't. You're unique."

"That's very kind of you to say. I can see that normally that would be a hard thing for you to say. You don't like to show your emotions. That's okay...I was the same. You see...I told you I was different and I told you a little bit on how...but really...I just wasn't a normal angel at all. Brother Gabriel told me a story one time. He called it the great family dispute." He giggled lightly, but lowered his fork so slowly and carefully that once it did touch the plate, it didn't make a sound. "One night Brother Gabriel, Brother Michael, Brother Raphael, and Brother Lucifer got into a big argument. It wasn't even about his plans to make humans. It was his plan to bring another angel to life. At the time...there were already one hundred fledglings for each faction and father said that it would bring each faction up to a million angels not uncluding the archangels amd it wpuld be perfect balance, but then he suddenly brought on the creation of me. They all wondered who was going to get the special one hundred and one, but not Brother Gabriel. He didn't want another one. It didn't help that he showed what my fledgling form would be and my angel form would be. It was glorious and magnificent and my wings were completely unique comparatively to the other fledglings and angels. Only the archangels had wings similar to mine. Mine were colored, they weren't pure white. It showed that I would have grand potential."

"Why didn't Gabriel want you?"

"Because he didn't think there was a reason. He said he had plenty of messengers. The factions are messengers, Warriors, protectors, and caretakers."

"Caretakers?"

"Yeah."

"Who ran that one?"

"Brother Lucifer...before he...fell. He took care of the garden. He guarded it and he took care of all the animals father had ever created. Anyway...Brother Gabriel didn't want the special one hundred and one angel...He thought it was a bad idea."

"Why would it have been a bad idea?"

"He said it was because it would throw the balance of the other factions off." He started eating his french toast and I was happy to see that he liked it, but I didn't care about the food at this point. I cared about the history lesson on Cas' childhood. "But father said that it wouldn't throw anything off, because the next fledgling would be different. He said that I was to have every quality that the other factions had. They all got into a huge argument, and then that's when the fighting really started. At least that's what Brother Gabriel says. The other three were trying to convince father that I should only belong to one faction and it should be theirs...whoever was speaking at the time."

"So what happened?"

"Brother Gabriel had had enough and while they were all fighting he had made his way to father's throne and he drew a line with holy oil so that the others won't be able to cross and he spoke to father without interruption. Mostly, because that was the first time that Brother Gabriel had acted on his own rather than just speak his mind. Usually he would just speak his mind but for some reason he couldn't stand by and watch the bickering any longer, so he trapped the other three behind a wall of holy fire."

"What did he tell God?" I asked and I felt a strange sort of excitement build in my chest.

"He told father that he would train me in all factions. Since he had observed the other factions for many many years he knew how they worked and how the training went...it wouldn't be a problem for him. Especially since he was messenger, and sometimes he had to send messages to the other factions...he got to see a lot of what they did. Anyway, he said that he would train me in all factions, and that he would look after me just as father did when they were fledglings...the first angels...but he would only do so on a few conditions."

"What were the conditions?"

"That I be loved, fought for, cared for...and also that I be calmed, angered, inspired, and that I be able to speak easily with whom ever should gain my friendship, trust, and brotherhood...even if it meant it didn't come from himself or the other angels. He promised to be that person, but he wanted me to basically be looked after should heaven fall. The other three brothers didn't know what he meant and were confused, but they were even more confused when they saw father smile, and he agreed."

"Wait...what do you mean looked after even if it's not by other angels?"

"Brother Gabriel meant humans. If I found humans that I wanted to love, fight for, speak to and with, and who I wished to aid whenever I can...then I am to be looked after them just the same should heaven fall apart. I asked him how I would know and he said that father promised that there would be no question about it. I would know, and it would be difficult, but I would know."

" _Do_ you know?"

"Well...I don't think he has officially recognized that he knows but I think older me really does know. I think he's known for a long time."

"Huh...and how do you figure that?"

"Older me was willing to go against all of my brothers and sisters and go to hell and back for you. I think he's known since before you made the deal that would put you in hell. I can't see any other reason why I might want to risk it all. I love my family. Which means you must be really special to older me for me to do that."

"Wha..." Just when I was about to ask what he meant by 'really special' I heard the bunker door open and Sam came into the kitchen, wearing a surprised smile on his face.

"So...fledglings eat?"

"Yes, Sam." Cas answered. "We also sleep, bathe, groom, and keep ourselves warm. We require everything that a human infant or child requires until we are a full fledged angel." Cas looked at all the bags in Sam's hand, then back up at his shocked expression and I was suppressing a laugh. "I'm going to assume that those clothes are mine, at least until I'm restored to my angel form."

"Uh...Y-Yeah. I also got you some clothes for when you're you know...grown...again. This is strange."

"You think it's strange? I don't have any memory of either of you, this place, this version of earth, of what the three of us might've been through that led to me willingly becoming a rebel against my own family, but I'm enduring. Thank you for the clothes." Cas hopped down and took a few of the bags from Cas and opened them on one of the counters, and I noticed he smiled.

"See some clothes you like?"

"Very much." He grinned and pulled out a black shirt that had three bumble bees on it going from the bottom left of the shirt to the top right. "I enjoy the bees. They sound funny in my ears in the garden. They also help pollinate flowers." He pulled out a pair of black jeans and underwear, and he left the kitchen. I followed after him, and realized that he went into my room to change, and I couldn't say anything, because it made sense. That's the only room he knew at the moment. Soon, I heard the door open and he spun around slowly. "Well, how does it look?"

I chuckled lightly and nodded my head. "It definitely fits you."

"Yes I know that it..."

"No, you misunderstood. What I mean is that it...is a good representation of your personality. The older you...he also like bees...quite a bit." I laughed at my own words, remembering what happened with Cas and the bees.

"Oh, thank you then!" He beamed up at me before looking at his own clothes. "I like this a lot better than what I was wearing. Why did I wear a trench coat?"

"Because your vessel Jimmy Novak wore a trench coat when you took over his body. You never changed it."

"Did you ever try and convince me to?"

"Many times. So, when do you want to go after the one who did this to you?"

Cas yawned and I could've sworn I saw something come out from his back, but I just filed it away in the 'you're seeing things, Dean' box in my mind. "After I rest, please. I am very tired."

"No problem, you know...you actually have your own room here. Do you want to sleep in there?"

"N-No...I..."

A chill rushed up my spine at how quickly his demeanor changed even though he is a child version of Cas, it was still unnerving. "What's wrong, Castiel?" I questioned, using his full name as I crouched down in front of him.

"I...The me now anyway...I've never been alone. Brother Gabriel always made room for me on his bed."

"I thought angels don't sleep."

"No, they don't need to and it's not required, and sometimes it can be a nuisance to angels, but some enjoy it. Like a pass time or hobby. They would also rest if they just spared with each other. It takes a lot out of an angel when they spar. It's one of the ways we're trained. Anyway...I just...I have...I've never been alone."

"Right..." I said, and I heard footsteps coming from behind me, and knew they were Sammy, but I chose to ignore them. "Do you want to sleep in my bed? I'll protect you, and there's plenty of room for you."

"I...I would like that...very much. Thank you, Dean." I got up and walked back into my room with Cas, and I heard Sam follow us.

"I don't believe it." He stated with a genuinely shocked tone. I turned around and raised my eyebrows, asking what he was talking about. He cleared his throat and smiled. "You're such a protective big brother. Not only to me, but to Cas as well. This is actually...kind of nice. I remember when you would do the same thing for me after I started hunting with you and dad."

"Yeah well...hey, did you happen to get him night clothes?"

"I just kind of figured he would sleep in a T-shirt and shorts. That's how we slept."

I walked over to him and he handed me exactly that; a T-shirt and shorts. I scoffed and looked at the clothes. "You know, this is a bit strange to me. I mean...I knew him as an adult..." I whispered as quietly as I could manage.

"Yeah, but it's Cas...and he's small, scared, and he doesn't know what's going on aside from what happened to him."

"Yeah...I know."

"And you do know I can hear you right? I may be a fledgling, but I have extremely high senses. Remember the story I told you, Dean? It's part of that." I looked at Castiel and he had an eyebrow raised with his arms crossed like a frustrated child, and I suppose at the moment he was.

"Story...what story?"

"Nothing...I'll tell you another time. Now, I'm gonna catch some Z's and I suggest you do the same Sammy. We have two people we need to gank at some point later today."

"Yeah, yeah...I'm going."


	5. Chapter 5

When I woke up, Cas wasn't there, and I instantly found myself going into 'no one messes with my little brother' mode and considering I went to bed fully clothes I grabbed my gun that had witch killing bullets and the angel blade that I kept hidden in my pillow, and I left the room. "Sam? Cas?" I didn't hear anyone, so I decided to check the war room for any sign of a struggle or break in. "Castiel!?" I shouted once I saw that the chairs and books were everywhere. "Sam!?"

 _'Dean! Please hear me! We're in the dungeon!'_ It was like a desperate plea for life and it was strange, because I knew the voice, but at the same time, I can't recall ever hearing it. _'Dean! Please hear me! It's me, Castiel! We're in the dungeon! The witch and angel are here! Please hear me. Please, please, please!'_

 _'Castiel?'_ I thought to myself, having a hard time believing it was really Cas. I had never heard his voice sound so...everything. It sounded like wind, rain, chimes, oceans, summer, and comfort all in one. I made my way towards the dungeons and I honestly wasn't expecting a reply to my thought.

 _'Dean! How am I able to hear you?'_

 _'That's my question. Cas...you've always been able to hear me. I've prayed to you many times before.'_

 _'Y-You what!? D-Do we have a...never_ mind...just _come get us! The witch is hurting Sam, and the angel...I recognize her, and we um...we never got along.'_

 _'Was she one of the ones that hurt you, and Gabriel had to protect you?'_

 _'Yes!'_ The way that last thought was shouted, I could tell that he was in pain. It was a cry in anguish, and I found myself ripping open the dungeon door myself and what I saw before me was enough to make my stomach do flips and drop over and over again. Cas was bleeding, a lot. Sam was fighting everything the witch was throwing at him. Then, both the witch and the angel looked at me with evil eyes.

Without hesitation I shot the witch, and was glad that I hit my mark, and to watch the look of horror on the angel's face was priceless. "Sammy, you okay!?"

"Y-Yeah!"

"Hey...I killed the witch...does that mean..." I didn't need to finish the sentence because all of a sudden my ears were ringing and the room filled with bright light. However, it was strange this time, because I didn't need to close or shield my eyes, but Sam did.

The next thing I saw was not a small version of Jimmy Novak, or even the Cas I knew. What I saw left my heart pounding in not only my chest but my ears too. My pulse had sky rocketed, and my jaw was dropped as I tried to regain my breath from being breathless. There was a man surrounded by a shinning light that was a mixture of gold, green, blue, and red. The man in front of me had jet black hair that was as long as Sam's, eyes the color of electricity and the ocean all mixed together. He had a halo that was large and floated above his head, yet seemed like a part of his whole body. Then, I finally noticed the wings, and I realized the man in front of me was an angel, and for some reason, I knew it to be Cas, but he wasn't Cas. No, the angel in front of me was Castiel, angel of the lord. I looked at the wings and through the shining light, I could tell that they were pitch black mixed with what looked like stardust, and I finally realized why Pamela's eyes were burned out. There were almost no words to describe the angel in front of me. It really was overwhelming but I was able to see it, and I didn't know why. "You will leave Dean Winchester and his kin alone! You will no longer harm them. You will no longer hurt those that I love! they are my family and you have angered me!" The voice was the same as before when Cas was sending his thoughts to me, but this one was older. It was more experienced, and it held fury, fire, rage, resentment, wrath, and mercilessness. It all shook me to the core, and it seemed to do the same to the angel without wings, and I was left to wonder how I was able to hear him now when the first time he tried to talk to me he nearly made me go deaf.

"H-How can you have your wings!? C-Castiel look maybe we can work out something! We could..."

Castiel calmly walked towards me and held out his hand. "Dean..." All of the harsh emotions left his voice, and suddenly his voice was still able to hold such power while holding a sense of contentment, protection, kindness, warmth, and a sense of home. "...the angel blade." Without question I handed it to him, and my heart, if possible, was pounding even harder against my chest. I looked over to Sam and he was still clutching his hands to his ears and his eyes were shut so tight, it seemed someone would need a crowbar to pry them open.

I watched in a state of awe that I never thought I'd ever be in as he plunged the angel blade directly through her chest and the light that shined out of her when she died was almost non-existent next to Castiel. Then, all too suddenly he was gone and the room was almost pitch black in my vision, but I was still able to see Sam. "Dean! Are you okay!?"

"S-Sammy!" My voice shook, and I sounded so weak, but after what I saw I couldn't help but feel so helpless and weak. It was a harsh reminder just how powerful Castiel really was. I felt tears rush down my face without my say so, and I couldn't find it in me to make them stop or to even wipe them away. I just simply let them fall onto my knees that I had collapsed onto when Castiel's true form illuminated the entire room.

"Dean, what happened? Where's Cas?" He asked as he scrambled to my side.

"Castiel he...I killed the witch...and he...the other angel...he...I saw him, Sammy. I saw the real Castiel."

"Y-You...you saw his real form!? How do you still have your eyes?"

"I...I heard him too...I...his voice and then...again...and..." I was an incoherent mess, and I couldn't bother myself to care. I tried to find ways to explain it to Sammy, but the words didn't exist.

After about fifteen minutes my vision finally returned to normal, but my mind still remembered everything I heard and saw as if I was still seeing and hearing it. Sam had brought me a beer to the war table where I was sitting trying to gather my thoughts together, but they kept going back to what I witnessed. "Dean...here..."

"No, I don't want a beer. I don't even want food, Sammy."

Sam just quietly sat next to me and put the beer next to his, and he let out a sigh. "I take it...it was impressive?"

"S-Sammy...there aren't words. I...I feel like I know how to describe it...but I can't. My hearts still hammering away against my chest.

Suddenly the bunker door was heard and we both jumped up, but my legs were still a bit weak, so I stood half in my chair with a knee on the chair and half out. "Sam? Dean?"

"Cas?" Sam called out and the Cas we both knew and loved came walking in, and he gave me a look I've seen from him plenty of times before, but this time guilt was mixed with it. He looked at me with pity, sympathy, and guilt. "Dean says he saw your true form...wait how did you get your body back?"

"I still have some friends it seems, and after hearing what happened...apparently we won't have to worry about angels for quite some time, and yes...he did see and hear my true self, and I remember being a fledgling here in the bunker. Cas slumped his shoulders and I saw it again.

"C-Cas?"

"I apologize Dean. You have no idea how sorry I..."

"Please...please don't apologize. It was a...it was an eye opener to just how powerful you are, and I am quite sure that you could hold to your words you said a long time ago. If you wanted to toss me back in hell you could do it with a snap of your fingers...and we'll discuss all that later...but could you um..." I looked at Sammy, suddenly feeling like this may be a very personal subject I was going to ask about and decided to pray it to him. _'I think I can still see your wings. Can you turn around?'_ He did and i saw them, and I didn't think it was possible, but they were far more beautiful and magnificent without the light shining through and on them. They were pitch black with stardust, but they also held small flecks of emerald green, gold, and silver. _'I...see your wings Cas.'_

"Cas why did you just turn around like that?" Cas didn't say anything, but simply stared at me wide eyed and his jaw was dropped. Then, Sam looked between the two of us frantically and rushed his hands through his hair as he tried to figure out what was going on. "What the hell guys?"

"H-He sees my...Dean can see my wings."

"Y-You actually have wings?"

That seemed to snap something in Cas, because suddenly he was doubled over sputtering out a laughter just before it turned into a bellowing laughter that was almost contagious. "Sam...of course I have wings! H-How could you think otherwise?" He laughed out, and I had to admit, it was pretty hilarious to assume he didn't have wings with all his zapping in and out, but something tugged at me to ask a dangerous question. A question that would no doubt, wipe the look off of Cas' face.

"Cas...do you remember about Metatron tricking you? It was only a few months ago but..."

"Hmm? Yes, I remember. Don't worry...we cornered him and took his grace along with his wings. He is completely human, and he has no idea what to do, because he is also in a psychiatric hospital where there were six angels who took vessels that had jobs there already. Metatron pretty much admitted to everything when I showed up in my true form with no vessel. So...I'm sure the others are keeping him company just fine."

My eyes went wide and all I could spit out was, "Thank you."

His smile fell and his eyes went downcast which sent an unsettling feeling to my gut. "I can erase your memory of it."

"Don't you dare!" He looked up at me in surprise and confusion. "I still can't find the words to explain it, but it was...miraculous. That's the only word that comes to mind. Don't take that away. Just answer me this...How was I able to see and hear you when I couldn't even hear you before."

He chuckled lightly and smiled brightly at me and he gave a short nod. Suddenly it dawned on me as he kept that knowing smile and those joyful eyes that he never really had before except for a few rare occasions. "You _know_ don't you."

"Yes, Dean. I found that I know _exactly_ what I was meant to know."

"So...how does you knowing affect me being able to see and hear you?"

"WHAT IS GOING ON!?"

"I'll tell you later...Cas...please answer me."

"It's because it _is_ you. That's how I came to know what I was meant to know. Father and Gabriel were right. I would know it when I know it. We already share a profound bond, me knowing just seemed to...make it stronger."

"Well _I_ feel like _I_ know _nothing_! What's going on!?" Sam pouted angrily and Cas and I just looked at each other and then back at Sam and laughed lightly.

"So, I take it that even though you have wings, you're not leaving for heaven anytime soon?"

"No. I am meant to be here with you and Sam. This is my home, and you are the human that Gabriel and Father meant. Not humans in general...just you and your brother, but mainly you. The profound bond is what led you to be able to see and hear me once I knew what I was meant to know. Once I realized it all of my power returned along with everything I originally was...even before diving into hell to rescue you."

"Wow...did God set that up?"

"I believe it was part of his and Gabriel's deal, because Gabriel included the factor about...even if heaven fell...so I believe so."

"Wow..." I said simply as I plopped back into my chair.

"What!? Wow What!? What are you two talking about? I'm getting a headache over here!" Sam shouted in frustration and I just chuckled as I opened my beer that Sam had set aside for me.

"Hmm...well, aside from getting some actual vacation time nothing much."

"Liar!"

"Cas, you wanna explain this one?"

"No, I would rather hear what you thought of my appearance, so I'll let you tell the story."

"Alright well...Where should I start...Oh I know! 'At the bunker things were getting pretty quiet...'"


End file.
